This invention relates to lateral guidance devices for wheel sets of rail vehicles, by producing, by magnets attached to the wheel set, a magnetic field, whereby, due to the force interaction between the magnetic poles, on the one hand, and one or several rails, on the other hand, the lateral guidance of the wheel set is accomplished without contact. This invention is more specifically directed to an improvement in the lateral guidance devices disclosed in commonly assigned copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 457,215, filed Apr. 1, 1974, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference thereto to the extent necessary for a complete understanding of the present invention.
Such devices have the purpose to dampen the low frequency transverse vibrations occurring at high speed of the rail vehicle; the higher the driving speed of such a vehicle, the higher also the frequency of the driving impacts from the rail to the chassis, which have to be designed in a way to dampen those "high frequency" impacts. At high speeds in addition to the driving impacts there occur slow transverse vibrations which can be caused by the lateral running of the rims. These transverse vibrations are in the frequency of 6 Hz and these transverse vibrations are dampened by devices of the aforementioned kind.
It has been determined that devices of the aforementioned kind are only efficient up to a certain driving speed, and then constantly lose their effect.
It is an objective of the invention to provide a device of the aforementioned kind in a way that will be efficient even at high driving speeds. This objective is attained by the fact that the pole faces of the magnets are extending along the rail according to the present invention; here the length of the pole face depends on the intended maximum speed. It has been determined that at high driving speeds the field lines between the magnet and the rail come to a stop, so consequently the dampening effect also comes to a stop. Elongated pole faces even at speeds of over 400 km/h still create a magnetic field in relation to the rail being sufficient for dampening purposes.
Furthermore, it has been determined that the operation of the aforementioned device is braking the vehicle stronger with increasing speed. This braking effect has been accepted so far, and one has expected from it an improvement of the dampening characteristics. However such an improvement in the dampening characteristics is not possible since the braking power is in a vertical (perpendicular) relation (position) to the transverse vibrations to be dampened. It is therefore a further objective of a further embodiment and feature of the invention to decrease the braking losses of a device of this kind.
This further objective is attained according to the present invention by providing controlling apparatus in the magnetic poles which creates magnetic field running proportionally to the driving speed of the rail vehicle. Hereby the magnetic field stays on the rail, so to speak, respectively hurries slightly ahead or behind, whereby the braking effect caused by the inhomogeneities in the rail are not present anymore. Since those skilled in the art can construct such controlling apparatus, given the state of the art and the present disclosure, details thereof are not included herein in order not to obscure the present invention.
A further embodiment of the invention provides that electrical generators are connected with (appointed to) each of the wheel sets for controlling the magnets. In this further embodiment, with increasing driving speed also the capacity and the frequency of the magnetic field increase, thus leaving out any central control. Moreover the magnet arrangement according to preferred embodiments of the invention represents a piece of the construction belonging to the single rail vehicle, this piece coming into operation by itself dependent on the speed and being free of interference and supervision.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention.